Biotechnology – a technically integrated system combining technology, plant material, or biological organisms to produce a commodity – has been an enduring presence in the US economy for nearly four decades. In a recent interview, Doug Friedman, CEO of BioMADE (the Bioindustrial Manufacturing Innovation Institute) and strategic adviser to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, shed light on the state of biotechnology and its crucial role in shaping the future.
The US bioeconomy, covering activities such as agricultural biotech, biobased products, and petroleum replacements, is worth more than $950 billion in market value. According to Friedman, biomanufacturing, a pivotal component of the bioeconomy, influences various aspects crucial to business operations, including supply chain security, sustainability, environmental impacts, and workforce dynamics.
Additionally, biotech versatility is highlighted beyond pharmaceuticals. Friedman has mobilized government attention to this kind of work. BioMADE intended to help make the US ‘manufacture more chemicals, materials and other nonmedical products using biological systems’.
Notable examples include bio-based products produced from biomass feedstocks, such as biofuels, biobased plastics, and so on. Ford and Jose Cuervo Tequila are developing sustainable bioplastic products manufactured with waste from their tequila-making operations.
Technological advances in agricultural biotechnology are also increasingly important. They include genetic modification of plants to imbue them with such benefits as weed resistance and heat tolerance to help farmers boost yields and carry out eco-friendly agriculture.
However, challenges persist in scaling up biobased products for commercial impact. Friedman highlighted the need to bridge the gap between small-scale production and the demands of mainstream markets, citing the example of biobased butadiene in rubber production.
The policy is crucial in advancing the bioeconomy, just as the federal government has had close ties with the growing biotechnology industry. The IRA and President Biden’s Bioeconomy Executive Order demonstrate efforts to pursue sectoral development and commercialization.
Furthermore, state governments help to drive biotech growth as well. Friedman pointed to ‘state-level permitting and development on things like building biomanufacturing campus’ in the case of Minnesota.
Nevertheless, there are still obstacles. The most significant is regulatory confusion. ‘The regulatory environment for commercializing biotech needs to be more clear,’ Friedman explained. ‘There is just a lot of uncertainty about how to navigate… how do I get from here to building a manufacturing facility?’
In conclusion, biotechnology is one of the most innovative fields and is critical to tackling many sustainability challenges society faces. If government, industry, and academia can collaborate more intensely, a decarbonized bioeconomy is within our grasp, leading to a green and growing future.
Source: Leah Garden, GreenBiz February 28, 2024
